Summary

幼虫活动的测量<em>果蝇</em>活动监视器

Published: April 30, 2015
doi:

Summary

This report describes a method for measuring Drosophila larval activity using the TriKinetics Drosophila Activity Monitor. The device employs infrared beams to detect movements of up to 16 individual animals. Data can be analyzed to represent motion parameters including rates and the positions of the animals within the assay chambers.

Abstract

Drosophila larvae are used in many behavioral studies, yet a simple device for measuring basic parameters of larval activity has not been available. This protocol repurposes an instrument often used to measure adult activity, the TriKinetics Drosophila activity monitor (MB5 Multi-Beam Activity Monitor) to study larval activity. The instrument can monitor the movements of animals in 16 individual 8 cm glass assay tubes, using 17 infrared detection beams per tube. Logging software automatically saves data to a computer, recording parameters such as number of moves, times sensors were triggered, and animals’ positions within the tubes. The data can then be analyzed to represent overall locomotion and/or position preference as well as other measurements. All data are easily accessible and compatible with basic graphing and data manipulation software. This protocol will discuss how to use the apparatus, how to operate the software and how to run a larval activity assay from start to finish.

Introduction

The use of Drosophila as a genetic tool has transformed scientific knowledge of biological systems. Drosophila larvae have been used in a variety of studies including nociception1, development2 and as a model for the study of human disease genes3. Drosophila activity encompasses a range of behaviors that vary under different conditions including temperatures2, exposure to drugs4 and amongst different genotypes. Yet, despite the significant use of the larva as a model organism, a simple, standardized method to analyze larval activity has not been available. Presently, many larval locomotion studies employ sophisticated video analysis software5. While powerful, the complexity of such automated tools may discourage labs that are not already equipped to study locomotion from including analysis of informative activity parameters in their studies. In other current non-automated methods, such as the grid crawling analysis, motion is scored by a human observer, which introduces the possibility of subjectivity and limits throughput to one animal at a time6-7. A similar study used a 5-lane crawling assay, which measured the time it took larvae to travel a certain linear distance8. In such non-automated assays, displacement is measured but this does not account for non-linear travel between the start and end points. As discussed below, the method described here accounts for more of the actual larval movement, is objective, easy to operate, and offers robust throughput.

To easily study larval activity behavior without the compromise of accuracy, efficiency, or cost, this method employs the TriKinetics Drosophila Activity Monitor (DAM), a device often used to study adult activity. Using one device to study both adult and larval activity is cost-effective, and allows direct comparison of motion by animals at these two life stages. The system, featuring the manufacturer’s highest level of resolution, makes use of 17 infrared detection beams per assay tube, which record larval activity when sensor beams are broken within the 16 individual tubes. The system then automatically saves recorded information to a computer, making it available for manipulation with basic graphing software. The data obtained represents the beams that were broken by individual larvae (which can be converted into a rate), movement when a larva stays within a detector beam and the position of the animals within the assay chambers during a recording period (allowing one to calculate position preference). The system is efficient and relatively simple to operate, and brings highly reproducible basic activity analysis within the reach of any laboratory studying Drosophila larvae.

To demonstrate the power of this assay, data are presented that show its use to verify differences in activity resulting from varying ambient temperatures, as well as through the comparison of a mutant previously described as hypoactive (iav1)9 with a widely analyzed control (w1118).

Protocol

1.准备幼虫为了分析运动或立场偏好所需的幼虫,在标准条件下生长的幼虫到所需的年龄标准使用飞食品11至10测定。 请通过拉伸丝印级尼龙网在漏斗网状过滤器。固定网在漏斗颈部橡皮筋。放置在一个烧杯中的漏斗。 为了收集幼虫进行分析,舀一铲满包含从培养瓶觅食幼虫的食物,并用RT自来水冲洗过的筛网过滤,收集直接个人幼虫网用画笔10。 </li…

Representative Results

图1示出了从控制第三龄幼虫的温度下反应的研究中,瓦特1118的结果,使用的监控装置,以检测在七个不同的温度下在幼虫运动的差异。幼虫洗涤并如上所述放入DAM活动装置,并放置在培养箱设置为所需的温度。该装置然后使其适应环境5分钟记录开始之前。每个幼虫单独为运动在20分钟内和每分钟移动平均数分析,计算为每一个动物,平均为每组32只动物。数据进行分析,并?…

Discussion

果蝇幼虫的活性是由多种因素,包括基因型8,13年龄和环境温度2的影响。虽然能够非常详细的分析,强大的录像制品的方法已经开发了那些谁学习运动5,这种详细程度可能是多余的为那些谁希望确定活动的基本参数。这里介绍的方法采用的设备是许多实验室使用,操作方便,产生高重现性的结果,即使是对于那些主要的研究重点是不运动管理。的例子的结果表明,…

Disclosures

The authors have nothing to disclose.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by NIH P20GM103643 to I. Meng.

Materials

Drosophila Activity Monitor, Multibeam, 16 tubes, including wires TriKinetics Inc.  MB5
Power Supply Interface for Activity Monitor  TriKinetics Inc.  PSIU24
Glass 80 x 5 mm tubes for Activity Monitor (100) TriKinetics Inc.  PGT 5×80
DAMsystemMB1v6x Data Acquisitions Software for Macintonsh OSX (Intel) www.trikinetics.com free download
DAMFileScan 108x software for Macintosh www.trikinetics.com free download
USB software (PSIUdrivers.zip). www.trikinetics.com free download
DAMSystem Notes 308 www.trikinetics.com free download
Zeiss Stemi 2000C- Stereo Microscope Spectra Services SP-STEMI2000C-BS
Carbon Dioxide Maine Oxy anaesthesia
Fly Pad Genesee 59-114 surface for sorting anaesthetized flies
Small paint brush  Winsor & Newton #2 ROUND or similar, used for sorting anaesthetized flies
Silk Screen Printing Mesh (160) msj-gallery.com SM160W63-3YD pore sized used in this protocol was ~ 0.1 mm
Tegosept Genesee 20-258 preservative
Ethanol (190proof) Pharmco 111000190 used to dissolve Tegosept
6 oz Square Bottom Bottle (PP) Genesee 32-130
"Flugs" for Plastic Fly bottles Genesee 49-100
Drosophila Vials, Wide (PS) Genesee 32-117
Flugs for wide plastic vials Genesee 49-101
Yellow Degerminated Corn Meal Gold Medal
Drosophila agar LabScientific FLY 8020
Baker's Yeast – Red Star King Arthur Flour 1270
Granulated Sugar – Extra Fine Domino

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Cite This Article
McParland, A. L., Follansbee, T. L., Ganter, G. K. Measurement of Larval Activity in the Drosophila Activity Monitor. J. Vis. Exp. (98), e52684, doi:10.3791/52684 (2015).

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